H&A Cut Quality/Help me find an ideal 1ct stone?

[Syl]

Hi everyone,

For many years I’ve admired/longed for/drooled over Brian Gavin and Whiteflash Hearts & Arrows diamonds, and now, on our 20th anniversary, we’re finally tying the knot!

I’ll be wearing a combined engagement/wedding ring, and I was thrilled to see that lab-grown H&A options are available. I'm looking to get a ring custom made and have the stone shipped directly to the jeweler.

While browsing stones yesterday, I noticed something that gave me pause. Some of the ASET/scope images looked less precise than what I’ve come to expect from these brands - arrows weren’t fully uniform, and the hearts showed irregular chevrons. It seemed like the optical symmetry wasn’t quite as crisp or even as in past offerings.

Has anyone else observed this recently? Are these just isolated examples, or is there a broader trend in lab-grown cutting standards?

If anyone is able to recommend specific stones, I’d be super grateful for any recommendations on the best Hearts & Arrows with consistently ideal proportions and symmetry and optimum table/depth and all those good things you fine knowledgeable people are aware of!

I'm looking for 1ct, D/E, VVS1/VVS2 ideally, but open to VS1/VS2 as well if the cut is good.

This ring is a once-in-a-lifetime piece for us, so I want to make sure the cut quality really lives up to the dream.

Thanks in advance for your insight, over the years I've been lurking I’ve learned so much from this community already!

Best,
Syl

 

[Texas Leaguer]

@Syl ,
First, congrats on tying the knot!
With regard to our in-house Precision Lab brand of lab grown diamonds, you are correct in seeing a wider range of facet precision reflected in their light perfromance images, compared to our natural A CUT ABOVE super ideals which have extremely tight requirements.

The range of allowed variance in our Precision Lab brand is more comparable to what is generally understood in the industry to qualify as Hearts and Arrows. Having said that, while some have detectable variances, some in the brand will also have top precision. It's just a wider range.

 

[AdaBeta27]

I think Jon at Distinctive Gem can have one custom cut to meet your standards. It will cost more than the average lab stone. He has a .87 for $750 and a couple 1.35-1.36 for $1300 so I'd call that affordable for the quality. He and I are on the same wavelength regarding table size, fatter lower girdle facets, etc.

For all of the progress in cut precision, buying a lab diamond is still a royal pita.

 

[Syl]

@Texas Leaguer
Thank you for the congratulations, and also for the explanation, that makes sense. I will just have to keep looking for the best match

I think Jon at Distinctive Gem can have one custom cut to meet your standards. It will cost more than the average lab stone. He has a .87 for $750 and a couple 1.35-1.36 for $1300 so I'd call that affordable for the quality. He and I are on the same wavelength regarding table size, fatter lower girdle facets, etc.

For all of the progress in cut precision, buying a lab diamond is still a royal pita.

@AdaBeta27 Thank you for the recommendation, unfortunately we're working on a tight timeline so are looking for a gem currently in stock and ready to be shipped. We are having the stone shipped directly to a jeweller in the US for a custom setting to be made, but it needs to be designed, made, have the stone set and shipped to the UK all in 6 weeks. (Eeek!)

 

[Syl]

For all of the progress in cut precision, buying a lab diamond is still a royal pita.

@AdaBeta27 Curious what you meant by this, is there something specific I should be looking out for or avoiding? Thanks!

 

[Karl_K]

With lab diamonds getting good crystal is much more important than small cut issues.
How well a vendor does on crystal issues is more important.
I have been less than impressed with BG at times with the crystal quality.
Whiteflash seems to do a much better job on selecting stone with good crystal in the samples I have looked at the videos.
From there you have the data needed to sort them out and pick the top cut ones.
The awesome prosumers here would be glad to help you do so.
With all the data available its fun.

 

[Syl]

@Karl_K Thanks so much for the advice, super helpful. When I first started looking into diamonds years ago, it was all about natural hearts and arrows back when labs didn’t even come in that cut. So I’m not very up to speed on the nuances of lab diamonds, and I kinda (naively) assumed the basics I’d learned about naturals just applied to labs too.

I didn’t realise the crystal quality itself could be such a factor. How do you spot that from the grading reports or vendor pics/videos? Is there a good tutorial or guide you’d recommend so I can learn how to pick out the best ones? Or am I better off waiting for suggestions from prosumers? (Please PSers, I bow down to your superior knowledge and diamond selection abilities!)

What I really want is a stone with clean crystal, precision symmetry, and lots of bold colourful fire.

 

[freddyboston]

Any particular reason you are going with Lab vs Natural stone ? At the 1 ct size the upcharge isn't that dramatic (compared to 2,3 ct +++)

for example: 4 JA True hearts @ $4,000

 

[Texas Leaguer]

@Karl_K Thanks so much for the advice, super helpful. When I first started looking into diamonds years ago, it was all about natural hearts and arrows back when labs didn’t even come in that cut. So I’m not very up to speed on the nuances of lab diamonds, and I kinda (naively) assumed the basics I’d learned about naturals just applied to labs too.

I didn’t realise the crystal quality itself could be such a factor. How do you spot that from the grading reports or vendor pics/videos? Is there a good tutorial or guide you’d recommend so I can learn how to pick out the best ones? Or am I better off waiting for suggestions from prosumers? (Please PSers, I bow down to your superior knowledge and diamond selection abilities!)

What I really want is a stone with clean crystal, precision symmetry, and lots of bold colourful fire.

The key factor in crystal quality is transparency which can be affected by both inclusions which are reported on a laboratory certificate, and atomic level disruptions of the carbon lattice which are not. If significant lattice, abberations like crystal strain and striation can cause the stone to be hazy, in which case even the best precision cuts will have diminished light performance.

Since most of the lab grown diamonds being produced today are in the highest clarity ranges, it is the atomic-level issues that need scrutiny, particularly when it comes to CVD grown diamonds. In the CVD process the growing diamond is not rigidly constrained by enormous pressure on all sides as it is in the HPHT method. Thus, there is more opportunity for abberations to occur as the diamond grows. This is particularly true of very large sizes which take longer to grow. You might be interested in this recent thread on transparency:

Thread 'Diamond Transparency – The Overlooked Foundation of Diamond Light Performance'

Sep 3, 2025

While we tend to think of gem diamonds as completely transparent, that is not always the case. We’ve all seen diamonds that were so poor in quality that they did not sparkle. And there is a continuum of quality from very dull to very brilliant. When we think about “flaws” in diamonds, we tend to think about inclusions and blemishes; aspects that are part of any reputable diamond report. But there are other defects that can be much less obvious and may have a significant impact on the appearance and performance of a diamond. There are some that are not always captured in the clarity...

• Texas Leaguer
• Replies: 21
• Forum: RockyTalky (Diamond Discussion)

• 

 

[Syl]

Any particular reason you are going with Lab vs Natural stone ? At the 1 ct size the upcharge isn't that dramatic (compared to 2,3 ct +++)

for example: 4 JA True hearts @ $4,000

Primarily cost. I would rather have a dream custom setting to show off a beautiful stone, than a more generic setting that will not bring me as much joy, so this eats into the budget significantly. $4k is nearly quadruple the price of the lab stones with the aforementioned specs.

The key factor in crystal quality is transparency which can be affected by both inclusions which are reported on a laboratory certificate, and atomic level disruptions of the carbon lattice which are not. If significant lattice, abberations like crystal strain and striation can cause the stone to be hazy, in which case even the best precision cuts will have diminished light performance.

Since most of the lab grown diamonds being produced today are in the highest clarity ranges, it is the atomic-level issues that need scrutiny, particularly when it comes to CVD grown diamonds. In the CVD process the growing diamond is not rigidly constrained by enormous pressure on all sides as it is in the HPHT method. Thus, there is more opportunity for abberations to occur as the diamond grows. This is particularly true of very large sizes which take longer to grow. You might be interested in this recent thread on transparency:

Thread 'Diamond Transparency – The Overlooked Foundation of Diamond Light Performance'

Sep 3, 2025

While we tend to think of gem diamonds as completely transparent, that is not always the case. We’ve all seen diamonds that were so poor in quality that they did not sparkle. And there is a continuum of quality from very dull to very brilliant. When we think about “flaws” in diamonds, we tend to think about inclusions and blemishes; aspects that are part of any reputable diamond report. But there are other defects that can be much less obvious and may have a significant impact on the appearance and performance of a diamond. There are some that are not always captured in the clarity...

• Texas Leaguer
• Replies: 21
• Forum: RockyTalky (Diamond Discussion)

• 

This is massively helpful, thank you. It seems sourcing a good lab stone isn't going to be as simple as I thought. I have a lot to learn, quickly. I'll dive into that thread in the morning!

 

[freddyboston]

This is massively helpful, thank you. It seems sourcing a good lab stone isn't going to be as simple as I thought. I have a lot to learn, quickly. I'll dive into that thread in the morning!

actually sourcing well cut round LGD is like fishing in a bucket .... filter for size, color, clarity.... filter for H+A ......filter for HPHT method to avoid CVD graining issue..... With HPHT look out for any with a noticeable blue tint in the videos (if you dislike Blue Nuance).

biggest challenge is out of 100's of excellent cut/proportioned LGD is to decide which one to choose....

 

[0515vision]

Given your timeline, you might want to pay extra for a stone already in the US.
Any of these would fit your bill. What's your budget? Where's the jeweler?

Round Cut Lab-Grown Diamonds | Whiteflash

Dive into our exquisite collection of round cut lab-grown diamonds at Whiteflash. Celebrated for their unparalleled brilliance and superior quality.

www.whiteflash.com

 

[Syl]

The key factor in crystal quality is transparency which can be affected by both inclusions which are reported on a laboratory certificate, and atomic level disruptions of the carbon lattice which are not. If significant lattice, abberations like crystal strain and striation can cause the stone to be hazy, in which case even the best precision cuts will have diminished light performance.

Since most of the lab grown diamonds being produced today are in the highest clarity ranges, it is the atomic-level issues that need scrutiny, particularly when it comes to CVD grown diamonds. In the CVD process the growing diamond is not rigidly constrained by enormous pressure on all sides as it is in the HPHT method. Thus, there is more opportunity for abberations to occur as the diamond grows. This is particularly true of very large sizes which take longer to grow. You might be interested in this recent thread on transparency:

Thread 'Diamond Transparency – The Overlooked Foundation of Diamond Light Performance'

Sep 3, 2025

While we tend to think of gem diamonds as completely transparent, that is not always the case. We’ve all seen diamonds that were so poor in quality that they did not sparkle. And there is a continuum of quality from very dull to very brilliant. When we think about “flaws” in diamonds, we tend to think about inclusions and blemishes; aspects that are part of any reputable diamond report. But there are other defects that can be much less obvious and may have a significant impact on the appearance and performance of a diamond. There are some that are not always captured in the clarity...

• Texas Leaguer
• Replies: 21
• Forum: RockyTalky (Diamond Discussion)

• 

Thanks so much, that explanation really helps put things in perspective. I read through the transparency thread you linked and it definitely opened my eyes. I honestly hadn’t realised that issues like striation or crystal strain could affect the look of the diamond without showing up in the clarity grade, so that was a real surprise to me.

I get that sometimes you might be able to catch hints of it in photos or videos, but it feels like one of those things where experience really matters. Since I’m shopping from the UK and the diamonds are in the US, is there a vendor you’d recommend that has someone on staff who can reliably assess transparency and be upfront about it? Or is it usually better to just post options here and rely on the seasoned PSers to point out the good ones?

actually sourcing well cut round LGD is like fishing in a bucket .... filter for size, color, clarity.... filter for H+A ......filter for HPHT method to avoid CVD graining issue..... With HPHT look out for any with a noticeable blue tint in the videos (if you dislike Blue Nuance).

biggest challenge is out of 100's of excellent cut/proportioned LGD is to decide which one to choose....

Thanks, that’s really helpful. I definitely want to avoid fluorescence or blue nuance, so that’s a great tip to watch for in videos. I’m also really curious, what site are you using? The prices in your screenshot are a fraction of what I’ve been seeing. Most have been around $1k-$1.5k.

 

[Syl]

Given your timeline, you might want to pay extra for a stone already in the US.
Any of these would fit your bill. What's your budget? Where's the jeweler?

Round Cut Lab-Grown Diamonds | Whiteflash

Dive into our exquisite collection of round cut lab-grown diamonds at Whiteflash. Celebrated for their unparalleled brilliance and superior quality.

www.whiteflash.com

Hi, yes, apologies if I was unclear, I am looking for a stone in the US to be shipped to a jeweller in the US who will create a custom ring with the stone, before shipping to the UK. Budget $1k-1.5k.

I have only been looking at BGD and WF so far, these were the sites I was surprised by the cut quality of some of the H&A labs. @Texas Leaguer kindly explained further up in the thread that there is a wider allowed variance in the cutting standards for lab diamonds, but the top precision ones are still in there, it's just a case of finding the right stone.

 

[freddyboston]

...... I’m also really curious, what site are you using? The prices in your screenshot are a fraction of what I’ve been seeing. Most have been around $1k-$1.5k.

the site is Loosegrown @ india...

Since you are in the UK might be better to avoid any stops in the USA due to Tariff situation.... Have you considered JANNPAUL in Singapore ? - they do precision cut synthetic stones and custom settings....

 

[Syl]

the site is Loosegrown @ india...

Since you are in the UK might be better to avoid any stops in the USA due to Tariff situation.... Have you considered JANNPAUL in Singapore ? - they do precision cut synthetic stones and custom settings....

Ahhh, I think with our incredibly tight timeline we really need to source the stone in the US, where the jeweller we have selected to make the setting is based. I'm not too worried about the tariffs if I'm buying direct from the US, I don't believe it will impact me beyond the usual customs, duties and taxes. Please feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken.

 

[freddyboston]

Ahhh, I think with our incredibly tight timeline we really need to source the stone in the US, where the jeweller we have selected to make the setting is based. I'm not too worried about the tariffs if I'm buying direct from the US, I don't believe it will impact me beyond the usual customs, duties and taxes. Please feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken.

the INDIA->USA tariff would be when your US diamond source imports the stone from India... that $$ would need to be added to your cost... INDIA->(tariff)USA ->UK

have you considered just asking the custom jeweler to acquire the stone ? With LGB most of the D VVS production are really well cut... jeweler could check for transparency issues and they might also get a trade discount etc....

It's different with naturals because off the shelf stone manufactures often need to "cheat" a bit to maximize and preserve weight (ct/weight) while hitting 3x.... Only the name branded premiums can afford to 100% cut for "super ideal" precision since they are able to pass along the add'l $$ cost of the sacrificed diamond rough...

 

[Syl]

the INDIA->USA tariff would be when your US diamond source imports the stone from India... that $$ would need to be added to your cost... INDIA->(tariff)USA ->UK

have you considered just asking the custom jeweler to acquire the stone ? With LGB most of the D VVS production are really well cut... jeweler could check for transparency issues and they might also get a trade discount etc....

It's different with naturals because off the shelf stone manufactures often need to "cheat" a bit to maximize and preserve weight (ct/weight) while hitting 3x.... Only the name branded premiums can afford to 100% cut for "super ideal" precision since they are able to pass along the add'l $$ cost of the sacrificed diamond rough...

I get what you mean about the tariffs now, that probably explains why the screenshot showed much cheaper options than what I’ve seen at WF/BGD.

I’ve considered asking the jeweller to source the stone, but while I trust their skill in making bespoke pieces, I don’t really have any info about their experience with sourcing diamonds, H&A, or lab stones in particular. Or whether they would go into the same level of detail/preferences to find the right stone. After my experience lurking this forum on and off for several years, and knowing how knowledgeable the people here are, I was hoping I’d get a better result leaning on the PS recommendations and have more opportunity to pick the exact right stone for me. Do you think it’s realistic to find a super ideal lab with that level of precision in the $1–1.5k range? Do I need to reevaluate my expectations?

 

[0515vision]

So you didn’t like any of the precision labs by WF? Some of them are quite good.

Who is your jeweler? Certain jewelers are great at sourcing stones.

 

[Syl]

So you didn’t like any of the precision labs by WF? Some of them are quite good.

I did like some of them, but was surprised by the frequency of imperfections to the symmetry/proportions in the labs vs naturals. I have not examined the entire catalogue of available gems yet.

Despite learning a lot from the posts here, I do not feel I have adequate experience or knowledge alone to pick the best stone I can find within my budget. I feel there are important things I might miss, like the clouding/haziness issues highlighted earlier in the thread, or getting the right stone proportions, etc.

 

[freddyboston]

if you're buying premium WF LAB then they have already taken care of clarity , proportions and cut screening.... the 1ct D stones are all in you price range so just pick any one and done


it's only if you shopping the cheaper off the shelf Labs that you need to look out for clarity or blue nuance and confirm H+A ~ ideal cut ~ high performance....

 

[Syl]

if you're buying premium WF LAB then they have already taken care of clarity , proportions and cut screening.... the 1ct D stones are all in you price range so just pick any one and done


it's only if you shopping the cheaper off the shelf Labs that you need to look out for clarity or blue nuance and confirm H+A ~ ideal cut ~ high performance....

Thanks for clarifying. Where do I stand on the transparency issue when it comes to WF/BGD? Is this something they screen for with regards to striations/haziness/cloudiness? Or will I need to make that judgement based on the photos, in which case I'd probably benefit from the expertise of a trained eye?

 

[0515vision]

It’s BG that we have issues with Crystal. But WF has great HPHT choices.

How do you like this one? @DejaWiz, thoughts?

Diamond | 1.02 ct D VVS2 Round Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond IGI Certified | 655780

This fabulous 1.02 carat Round Ideal cut diamond has a clarity grade of VVS2 and color grade of D.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 655780

www.whiteflash.com

The whole I sent you in an earlier post has great choices.

 

[Syl]

It’s BG that we have issues with Crystal. But WF has great HPHT choices.

How do you like this one? @DejaWiz, thoughts?

Diamond | 1.02 ct D VVS2 Round Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond IGI Certified | 655780

This fabulous 1.02 carat Round Ideal cut diamond has a clarity grade of VVS2 and color grade of D.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 655780

www.whiteflash.com

The whole I sent you in an earlier post has great choices.

Thanks for clarification regarding transparency issues with BGD, not WF.

The diamond you linked is a good example of the sorts of cutting precision errors I was questioning in the OP. I'm definitely not against getting a diamond like this - especially if this is the best cut and crystal quality I can find in lab form - I was just surprised that they didn't have the exacting precision and symmetry of naturals I'd looked at previously.

I've attached an image highlighting some of the areas of concern, in particular the thick/uneven chevrons (blue arrows) and curved points (yellow circles). When I learned about H&A/superideal years ago, I remember things like this being pointed out as a way to distinguish good vs poor H&A cuts. Is that no longer considered relevant now?

Will cut imperfections this minor make any difference to the performance of the stone?

Should I be looking for a stone which avoids these imperfections or am I overthinking it?

 

[Syl]

Is this diamond showing a defect in the crystal near the top left (north west) arrow tip? Cluster of tiny dots? Same tiny dots near the centre of the stone/base of the arrow shaft on SE & SW arrows. Just trying to work out if I'm looking for the right sort of thing.

Diamond | 1.14 ct D VVS1 Round Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond IGI Certified | 278219

This fabulous 1.14 carat Round Ideal cut diamond has a clarity grade of VVS1 and color grade of D.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 278219

www.whiteflash.com

This one also seems to have lots of clusters of the tiny white dots on the surface? https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-di...-vvs1-clarity-round-ideal-cut-lab-sku-p338154

I'm pretty sure I'm spotting the crystal defect correctly in this one, it almost looks like a smudged fingerprint near the top left? Striation? https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-di...-vvs1-clarity-round-ideal-cut-lab-sku-p357049

Just trying to learn how to spot actual defects in the crystal or whether I'm looking at things incorrectly or misattributing factors!

Would also love some experienced opinions on the following options:

Diamond | 1.06 ct D VVS1 Round Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond IGI Certified | 333823

This fabulous 1.06 carat Round Ideal cut diamond has a clarity grade of VVS1 and color grade of D.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 333823

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.01 ct D VVS2 Round Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond IGI Certified | 655791

This fabulous 1.01 carat Round Ideal cut diamond has a clarity grade of VVS2 and color grade of D.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 655791

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.21 ct D VVS2 Round Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond IGI Certified | 431663

This fabulous 1.21 carat Round Ideal cut diamond has a clarity grade of VVS2 and color grade of D.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 431663

www.whiteflash.com

If anyone could explain why this is .2 carats larger but cheaper in price I would love to understand. Am I missing a flaw? Because I thought it looked lovely.

 

[freddyboston]

Well i'm not sure but maybe the standards for ACA are higher than the standards for LGD Precision.... Have you noticed that only the Naturals get the ACA designation and ACA girdle inscription... Maybe if you want a real WF ACA then you would need to buy a Natural ACA ?

Wonderous and exceptional, diamond crystals are also ancient. They formed 100 million years ago at tremendous depth and pressure and were brought to the surface of the Earth by extremely isolated volcanic events. Phenomenally rare and precious, diamonds are also the hardest of all known substances. But it is their capacity for incredible beauty that makes them treasures of a lifetime.

 

[Syl]

Well i'm not sure but maybe the standards for ACA are higher than the standards for LGD Precision.... Have you noticed that only the Naturals get the ACA designation and ACA girdle inscription... Maybe if you want a real WF ACA then you would need to buy a Natural ACA ?

Yes, @Texas Leaguer explained earlier in this thread that the precision range has a wider variance in attributes than ACA, but also that there will be ideal cuts in the labs, it's just a case of finding the right one from a larger selection with wider variance. So I'd like to try and find the closest to ACA/superideal standards as I can, from what is available.

I'd also like to learn whether some of these imperfections (like wonky chevrons or curved tips) actually have much impact on the appearance and performance of the stone, or whether they can be disregarded as largely irrelevant.

 

[freddyboston]

if you drop to half carat they have ACA in your price range that would "get you into the club".....
in the future you could do an upgrade w/ WF for credit towards the next ACA

Lifetime Trade Up | Whiteflash

A solid trade up program is a big deal when buying a diamond. Whiteflash has the best benefits in the business including a Lifetime trade up.

www.whiteflash.com

 

[Syl]

if you drop to half carat they have ACA in your price range that would "get you into the club".....
in the future you could do an upgrade w/ WF for credit towards the next ACA

Thank you for the suggestion, but for this particular ring I'm not really interested in reducing the size, or upgrading the stone in the future.

It's really more just about finding the best cut I can, for the increased light performance and fire, and because I find the precision and symmetry to be beautiful, and having a stone I can enjoy wearing for the rest of my life.

 

[0515vision]

You’re mixing up crystal issues (straining, graining) with inclusions. These stones do not have inclusions that would be seen to the naked eye. And some would be hard to see with a 10x loupe.

The 1.21 looks great to me. The price difference sometimes is based on when the stone was purchased from the wholesaler. @Texas Leaguer, can you give more insight into price variations? I'm just talking out my elbow here lol